St. Thomas Police are starting an enforcement push aimed at e-bike and e-scooter riders, and the rules are not the same for the two vehicles.
“STPS remains committed to addressing community concerns related to road safety and traffic complaints,” the department said in a release posted Thursday. Officers will be watching for e-bikes and e-scooters ridden dangerously, or in places they are not allowed. The release does not point to a specific incident behind the timing.
The first rule for both: no sidewalks, trails, paths or boulevards. Riders also cannot tow anything or hitch a ride off another vehicle, and operating in a way that could hurt someone or damage property is against the rules too.
Beyond that, e-scooters and e-bikes each follow their own set of rules, and mixing them up is an easy way to end up on the wrong side of the law.
E-scooters (the standing, kick-style kind) cannot go faster than 24 km/h or draw more than 500 watts of power. Riders must be at least 16, stand up and ride alone, never carry a passenger or cargo, and wear a helmet if they are under 18. Anyone riding an e-scooter who is involved in a collision that hurts someone or damages property has to report it to police.
E-bikes work differently. Their motors have to cut out at 32 km/h of assisted speed and cannot exceed 500 watts either, but the helmet rule is stricter: every e-bike rider wears one, no matter their age.
Both need working brakes and a bell or horn, plus front and rear lights at night or in reduced visibility. Riders have to stop when an officer tells them to and show ID if asked.
There is a reason the two vehicles get different treatment. E-bikes are permanent Ontario law, allowed almost anywhere a regular bicycle can go, with no city sign-off required. E-scooters are different: Ontario only allows them under a provincial pilot project that runs until November 2029, and a municipality has to pass its own bylaw before anyone can legally ride one on local streets. St. Thomas did exactly that. The city’s traffic bylaw was amended in 2021 to count an “electric kick-scooter” as a motor vehicle, the same category that already keeps cars off sidewalks and trails.
Break the province’s e-scooter pilot rules and the fines run from 250 to 2,500 dollars.
“Dangerous and reckless operation will not be tolerated,” the release said. “Know the rules and ride responsibly.”
Sources: St. Thomas Police Service, “STPS Launches E-Scooter Safety and Enforcement Initiative”, Ontario.ca, “Electric kick-style scooters (e-scooters)”, Ontario.ca, “Riding an e-bike”
By Anthony Zruna · About the LocVox Newsroom
